PROJECT SUMMARY The Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) and the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine (CBMM) of the Rutgers University ? New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) are dedicated to understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in cardiovascular disease, and its risk factors. These include diabetes, exercise, obesity, and other factors that impair healthful aging. Accordingly, the main research foci are related to myocardial ischemia, hypertrophy, heart failure and cardiovascular risk factors. As the Department and CVRI continue to expand, the need for improved cardiac and vascular imaging in genetically altered mouse models and other animal models has become acute. There is also a need for expanding collaboration into the fields of development, neurology, and cancer. The Justification of Need for purchase of the VisualSonics Vevo 3100 Ultrasound Imaging System falls into 11 categories: 1. Need for Increased NIH funding 2. Allow the investigators on this grant to conduct their NIH funded research in the best possible manner and help insure the continued funding and research of the members of CVRI and CBMM. 3. Need to pursue new directions in research 4. Provide better data for young investigators and new faculty recruits for their first RO1 application 5. Enhance training of post-doctoral and graduate students supported on NIH grants, for future research. 6. Expand collaboration and uses to investigators with interest in development, neurology, and cancer. 7. Need to support collaborations with NIH funded investigators at other institutions 8. Increased need for mouse and other animal model studies 9. Reduce costs for animals due to ability to make multiple measurements over time. 10. Improve scheduling problems and reduce the need for overtime 11. Enhance the quality and quantity of research supported by the NIH grants and need for additional functions to measure cardiac function, regional blood flow and vascular dimensions and for higher quality data for LV echo Without the new instrument, the NIH funded cardiovascular research programs at the Rutgers-NJMS will be in jeopardy and future grants will be limited. In this proposal, we present organizational/management plans for increasing technical help, which in concert with the new instrument, will alleviate the needs listed above. The main research foci are related to myocardial ischemia, hypertrophy, heart failure and aging, which are among the most important health problems facing our country.